Longtime Ind. football coach under investigation for verbal abuse

Center Grove (Greenwood, Ind.) High School football coach Eric Moore is under investigation after allegations of verbal abuse, the district confirmed in a statement Wednesday afternoon.

Center Grove Superintendent Rich Arkanoff said in a written statement that the school district has hired an investigator to look into allegations that Moore was verbally abusive to players.

“The School Corporation retained an outside independent investigator to conduct an investigation into these allegations,” Arkanoff said in a written statement. “This investigation is still ongoing and is anticipated to be wrapped up within the next few weeks.”

This is the second investigation into Moore’s conduct this year. In February, the school corporation received an allegation that he had assaulted an athlete. Moore was placed on administrative leave pending the results of a Department of Child Services investigation, according to Arkanoff. Moore was reinstated after CPS notified the school corporation that it had determined the allegation was unsubstantiated.

It is unclear when the allegations of verbal abuse were reported to the school and when the independent investigation began.

Center Grove Athletic Director Jon Zwitt declined to comment when contacted by IndyStar. Messages sent to Moore were not immediately returned Wednesday.

Former players, parents and coaches rallied to Moore’s defense Wednesday. Moore is one of the most accomplished and recognizable high school football coaches in the state. In 19 seasons, Moore has built Center Grove into a powerhouse program in the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference, winning state championships in 2008 and 2015 and appearing in two other state championship games. The Trojans, traditionally built on a ground-based offense and tough defense, are 179-62 overall in Moore’s 19 seasons.

Moore, IndyStar’s 2016 high school coach of the year, has coached football at Center Grove for 19 years with a 179-62 record, winning two state titles. He’s also coached boys track for 19 years, and was named the 2012 National Federation of State High School Association’s boys track and field coach of the year.